Electrical outlet-box.



H. E. SVENSON.

ELECTRICAL OUTLET BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, I914.

L16%,36. Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

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License.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRICAL OUTLET-BOX.

Patented Dec. 141, 1915.

Application filed August 19, 1914. Serial No. 857,451.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY E. SvENsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Outlet-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to outlet and similar boxes for electrical wiring, and has more especial reference to means for removably securing the conductor cables in position in such boxes.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an outlet box, preferably pressed out of metal, having simply constructed means for securely, yet removably, retaining in position the conductor cables which are led through one or more walls of such boxes.

My invention is susceptible of embodiment in several forms, and for the purpose of clearly explaining the principle of the invention, T have illustrated one concrete form thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved outlet box, showing a conductor cable .secured in a wall thereof; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bushing through which a conductor cable passes.

In many forms of outlet and similar boxes, it is customary to provide what are 7 termed knock-outs, z. 6. sections of metal which may be removed by slight pressure or a light blow to provide orifices through which to run the cables, and one feature of my invention relates to a novel form of knock-out in outlet boxes.

The outlet box illustrated in the drawing is circular in form, and comprises the end wall 10 and the cylindrical lateral Wall 11. The knockouts need be provided only in the end wall, and this is the construction shown in the drawing. It will, of course, be obvious that the lateral wall 11 may alsobe provided with knock-outs, and that any desired number of the latter may be'present in any given box.

Each knock-out comprises a body portion 12, a head portion 13 and a tail portion 14. The body 12 is defined by oppositely curved walls which merge into the head and tail portions, respectively. The head portion 13 is rectangular and is wider than the tail portion, which is substantially oblong in form. The boxes are supplied by the manufacturer with the knockout cut out except for the frail oppositely disposed webs 15.

In Fig. l, the character X denotes the space or orifice left in the end wall 10 after a knock-out has been removed. The conductor cables are intended to be passed through the orifices X, and for the purpose of securing the cables in position, I

employ sleeves or bushings with certain ap purtenant parts, which is another feature of my invention.

l6 denotes a sleeve or bushing provided with a preferably integral projection or lug 17, which extends substantially at right angles to the axis of the bushing 16. Depending from the sleeve 16, opposite the lug 17, is a wedge member 18 preferably formed inte rally with a bifurcated or slotted plate 19. The lug 17, the wedge 18 and the plate 19 are all at one end of the bushing 16 which, as clearly shown in Fig. l, is preferably cylindrical in form. The wedge 18 extends substantially parallel to the sleeve 16,

while the bifurcated plate 19 extends approximately at right angles to the axis of the sleeve.

Adjacent the head 13, of each knockout, and substantially midway of its ends, is a hole 19 tapped in the end wall 10. Similar holes 19 are provided in the wall 10 to receive screws or. analogous fastening means throughthe medium of which the box may be secured to a support. The conductor cables are designated 20 and are generally covered with a spiral lead sheathing 21.

The invention is employed as follows One of the knock-outs is removed, leaving the opening X in the wall 10. The bushing 16 is then loosely inserted in the opening X, and the cable inserted in the bushing, the bare ends of the cable, for attachment to the appropriate connection, protruding as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bushing is so placed in the opening X, that the lug 17 passes under the wall 10 adjacent the tail portion 14*, the wedge 18 entering the head portion 13", and the bifurcated plate 19 being positioned over the hole 19", on the upper face of the wall 10. A screw 22 is then passed between the branches of the plate 19 and is driven down into the hole 19". The wall of the tail portion 1a acts as a fulcrum for the bushing 16, and as the screw is driven down, the wedge 18 will be gradually forced downwardly and inwardly against the sheathing 21 compressing and gripping the latter, and clamping the cable in position. 'To remove the cable, it is merely necessary to loosen the screw 22 and raise the wedgev somewhat in the opening X whereupon the cable may be pulled out of the bushing 16. The bushing itself need not necessarily be removed from the opening X. I have found, in practice, that I obtain a more effective wedging action by providing the angular head portion 13 in the knockbox.

out hole, but such head portion may be omitted.

It will be observed that I have provided a simple device, the action of which, in practice is highly effective. After the cable has been gripped by the wedge, no reasonable amount of pull is likely to free the cable; as a matter of fact, the greater the pull the more effective will the wedging action become. Owing to the construction of the knockouts, and of the bushing with its appur-tenant parts, I -am enabled to construct the outlet box of pressed metal, which is a desideratum in'this kind of devices.

I desire, also, to point out that while I have illustrated and specifically described a box of a certain form, my invention is applicable with equal facility to othei forms and types of devices intended to suioserve similar or analogous objects, and that the invention is not limited to the form shown.

'What I claim and desire to secure by .Letters Patent is:

1. An outlet box having an opening in a Wall thereof, a cable bushing carrying a fastening member and a supporting member for said bushing, said members being adapted to overlap said wall on opposite faces thereof, and means cooperable with said fastening member to secure said bushing to said 2. An outlet box having openings therein, each opening mcluding a substantially circular portion and oppositely disposed angular portions, bushings for receiving cables adapted to enter the circular portions of said openings, a wedge carried by each bushing and adapted to enter one of the angular portions of said openings, and a projection carried by each bushing and adapted to enter the'other angular portions of such openings.

3. An outlet box'having openings therein, each opening including a substantially circular intermediate portion, a relatively shallow angular head portion and a relatively deep angular tail portion, bushings for receiving cables adapted to enter the circular portions of said openings, a wedge carried by each bushing and adapted to enter one of the head portions of said openings, and a lug carried by each bushing and adapted to enter one of the tail portions of said openings.

4. An outlet box having openings therein, each opening including a substantially circular intermediate portion, a relatively shallow angular head portion and a relatively deep angular tail portion, a wall of said box having an orifice intermediate the ends of each head portion of said openings, bushings for receiving cables adapted to enter the circular portions of said openings, a wedge carried by each bushing and adapted to enter one of the head portions of said openings, a lug carried bv each bushing and adapted to enter one of the tail portions of said openings, a plate carried bv each bushing and adapted to lie over one of said orifices, and means passing through said plate and into said orifice for securing the bushing to the box.

5. An outlet box having openings in a wall thereof, a bushing insertible in each opening, a wedge carried by the bushing and extending into said opening, a lever carried by the bushing and engaging one face of said wall, and fastening means for the bushing engaging the opposite face of said wall.

6. Cable securing means, comprising a bushing having a wedge extending beyond one edge thereof, and a support opposite said wedge and projecting from said edge of the bushing at substantially a right angle to the plane of the wedge.

7. Cable securing means, comprising a. bushing having at one edge thereof a wedge and integrally therewith a bifurcated plate extending substantially at right angles to the axis of said bushing, and a support opposite said wedge and extending substantially at right angles to the axis of said bushing.

8. An outlet box having an opening in a wall thereof, a bushing adapted to have a cable extend therethrough, a fastening member carried by said bushing and adapted to engage one face of said wall, means for forcing the fastening member toward said face of the wall, and a supporting member adapted to engage the opposite face of said wall and acting as a lever when said fastening member is forced toward said wall.

9. An outlet box having an opening in a wall thereof, a bushing adapted to have a cable extend therethrough, a fastening member carried by said bushing and adapted to engage one face of said wall, means for 1,1ca,2se m forcing the fastening member toward said In testimony whereof I have afiixed my face of the Wa11,ha supportirfig mimbeg signature in presence of tWo Witnesses. adapted to engage t e opposite ace 0 sai Wall and acting as a lever When said fasten- HENRY SVENDON' 5 ing member is forced toward said wall, and Witnesses:

a Wedge carried by said bushing and adapt- OTTO MUNK, ed to clamp said cable in said bushing. CLARICE FRANCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

